The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1887-02-17

seated herself IN a great armchair OF
willow-work, and for a brief time gave
herself up to the luxury of weeping.
For, with all her force and decision of
character, Dona Cleofas was but a
woman, and it might be Oh the
cards that she should gaze not on the
faces of her children again. She had
brought her arsenal with her; no cun-
ming fabrication of Colts nor many
balled Winchester; for these inventions
of murderous man, to MAIN and slay
his fellows, Dona Cleofas had not the
slightest use ; she was the traditional
woman in her horror of firearms. and
would not have known how to make Of
fensive use Of them, unless as missiles
to be hurled against an intruder's head.
But alongside her, and resting against
her knee, lay a heavy, long-helved axe,
whose keen, broad edge had never been
turned against knot of stubborn oak
nor the gnarled roots that serve as fuel
t~hereabouts. And Dona Cleofas had
oil faith in the power of her W right
arm to WELD it hard and we'll against a
foe. The night went on, the silence
was unbroken, and Dona Cleofas slept
slept hard and fast, until all at
once, with a start, she
was as wide awake as ever she
was in her life, and realizing that very
close to her the throat of a man was
emitting labored yet rapid b~reathings.
The auditory was strong and de-
finite in Dona Cleofas, and it took her
not many seconds tt decide that the
intruder had crawled through an OPEN
ing cut in the panel of the door before
her, and there he was, apparently
caught fast, sprawling, clawing, and
wriggling to force himself farther in
and clear of the opening. Now and
then, in the fellows contortions, his
hot breath swept the hand of the
watcher. Dona Cleofas drew a deep,
soundless breath, and, rising swiftly,
noiselessly to her feet, raised the axe
in the air. Swift as light it fell
chack!! n mighty, convulsive writhe,
and the man with that last twisting
shudder had drawn himself past the
grip of the ragged planks, and Dona
Cleofas. STOPPING %resolutely, drew him
| quite within with as natural a move
ment as her quivering nerves could
compass.
A few moments of silence; then,
barely audible, a sibilant whisper:
Thou, Lencho. is all well?" Through
the followed hands of Dona Cleofas an
answer was sent back: s.All we'll
come on" Then, almost breath for
breath. that same scene. unviewed in
the great darkness, was enacted, and
yet again.
But the third time, what with the
strain off her over-wrought nerves, and
the tax on her aching muscles, as she
had dragged aside three well-grown,
heavy bodies-the third time, and little
wonder Dona Cleofas could not
answer to the question: cart safely IMP
Does all go wellP" But the fourth
man, cautiously putting his head with
in the gap to reconnoiter, just missed
the unfailing blow of the heavy axe.
what was that? Some treachery is
here" his voice broke forth. ''And-
the earth beneath the door is wet
with something slippery-hot-good
God-with blood!' There was a
smothered howl of rage and fear, the
rush of scuff1ing feet, a ladder rafting
against the wall as twas drawn up to
the roof, and Dona Cleofas was alone,
but for the dead. The dawn had not
yet opened into day when a Waterman,
staying the steps of a lettering woman,
knock at the great zaguan door of the
Jefe Polaico's house, and, after a par
ley with the servant on duty, and his
summons to the master, the project
came forth, looking cur,ously at
the pale, haggard face of his early
guest.
"But what is this, good Dona Cleo
ftas? I can not credit the tale, and
yet, your blood-stained hands and garb
well, well! You go not hence on
foot, nor fasting. After so sore a
struggle you must want strength.
Come in and sit You down, while coffee
and wine + brought to us, and the
horses are put to my coach"
But if the good woman had seemed
faint and ill when she sought the aid of
the project she had well-nigh quite re-
covered her wanted calm and self-re-
lance when she stood, an hour later,
beside that dignitary and watched his
wondering face, while he stripped the
black-masks from the faces of the
dead.
''This is Eel Zorro the Fox" he
murmured, consulting a formidable
looking paper adorned with great red
seals; ''that is to say, he corresponds
in every particular with the description
of that bandit, sent up for my instruc-
ton by my esteemed colleague, the
Jefe of Zacatecas. The bearded one
must be-yes-the Tarantula; and this
Sne-hola! 1 seem to know his facet"
"No doubt" said Dona Cleofas, dry
ly; with the name of Lorenzo Garcia,
he has been playing the gallant to such
Of our girls as would hear him, and, no
doubt, getting from them the points to
use in his raids. Faith, one of my
own pullets has listened to his purr!
Senior Jefe, if 1 have done aught that
merits praise, l pray your license to 60
and bring the girl, to whom perhaps
your grace will say a word. A hard
test for herP-an awful sight? IT'S so.
your worship; but the chit needs the
lesson. What might it not have been
for her mother?"
All ignorant of what was going on,
the rest of Dona Cleofas's flock thought
it. hard she should forbid them to fol
low Tiny; but so the dame decreed,
and locked them fast again, all break
fastless, pending the place was freed
from its CHASTITY sights. And never, il
Augustina's life to come, would SHE
forget the awful scene, as she came tt
where the three stark dead men lay
drawn by her mothers hand.
;. "Santo Cristo!" she cried; "what il
itp-what does it mean?"
eft means NV child - the ,Bfe hast